Activity Update October 2017: Pench Maharashtra

Highlights:

Students being briefed before a nature trail
in Ambakhori

Socio-economic survey in Ambazari, to enable us to prepare
a comprehensive sustainable ecodevelopment plant

Awareness rally in Ghatpendari during Wildlife Week

Nature trail in Ghatpendari - Bandu teaches children
about local flora and fauna

Awareness rally in Ghoti

Khapa - Dilip speaks to villagers about human-wildlife conflict
mitigation measures

A check dam being built in the jungle near Sillari

The completed check dam near Sillari

Conservation rally in Sillari

THE FULL REPORT

Team: Mandar Pingle, Bandu Uikey – Conservation Officers

            Dilip Lanjewar, Balkrishna Bagmare – Field assistants

Abhijit Dutta – Assistant Director (Conservation)

Highlights

·      Socio-economic surveys of 24 villages

·      One check dam built during Wildlife Week 2017 - 25 people participated

·      Four awareness rallies organised during Wildlife Week 2017 -  total of 225 students/villagers participated

·      One anti-plastic drive during Wildlife Week 2017 – 20 students & 15 villagers volunteered

·      One nature trail & one nature visit held for students of Ghatpendari – a total of 41 students participated in these 2 events

Conservation

On October 2, Bandu Uikey organised an anti-plastic programme in Ghatpendari village as a part of Wildlife Week 2017 celebrations. Bandu explained to the students and villagers about the hazards of plastic waste for both environment and human health.

He also explained how plastic and non-degradable waste was causing irreparable damage to the ecosystem near the water bodies and adversely affecting the birds and other life forms. He told them that the waste was equally harmful to people. He brought to the notice of the students the large amount of plastic waste along the road in the village.

Later, the students along with villagers volunteered and cleaned the plastic waste along the road.

On October 4, Dilip arranged a voluntary work project in Sillari beat. During the voluntary work project, villagers constructed a check dam. The check dam will help in water conservation for wildlife and people alike.

Wildlife Week 2017 Events

Four awareness rallies were organised during Wildlife week 2017 at Sillari, Ghatpendari, Chargaon and Ghoti; the theme being ‘Save the Environment’. Balkrishna, Bandu and Dilip organised these rallies.

On October 2, a nature trail was organised for the students of Ghatpendari, during which Bandu explained the importance of preserving local flora and fauna, focusing on insects and beetles.

On October 2, Dilip read out a Government Resolution on crop depredation to the villagers of Khapa and explained it in full to them.

On October 4 Bandu organised a nature visit to East Pench for students of Ghatpendari. They were taken to Totladoh dam and Ambakhori. Bandu spoke to them about Pench Tiger Reserve and about the birds and animals that thrive here.

Classroom sessions on the environment were held at Ghatpendari and Ghoti on October 2 and October 3 respectively.

Ghatpendari Solar Project

A meeting was organised by Bandu with the villagers of Ghatpendari to discuss the monthly rates for the solar project. The meeting was attended by Gram Panchayat member Mr. Keshav Admachi and it was decided by the villagers that the monthly payment rate per household to maintain the solar set-up would be Rs. 50 starting from the month of October.

Employment Cell

In September 2017, Satpuda Foundation assisted Maharashtra Forest Department in the selection of candidates to be trained in driving four-wheelers. The training was provided at Ashok Leyland Driver Training Institute, Linga (Chhindwara) and the program was funded by BCRLIP. Most of the youths who participated were involved in fishing activities in the Totladoh reservoir. This month long training provided an excellent opportunity to the youths to learn a skill which will help reduce their dependence on forests, thus helping in wildlife conservation. These 29 candidates graduated from the programme on 15^th October 2017. The mandatory Government tests for the granting of licenses are currently under way.

IT Education Program

Satpuda Foundation has donated desktops as well as laptops to the Zilla Parishad School in Sawara village and has been conducting an IT education program for the students free of cost since the year 2013. Basic computer skills are taught to the students to make them feel comfortable with technology and improve their IT skills. Ms Sita, a resident of Sawara village, works on an honorarium basis for Satpuda Foundation, wherein she is able to earn a livelihood as well. Four such classes were held in the month of October 2017.